Machine for filling and corking bottles



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. M. FOWLER. MACHINE FOR FILLING AND GORKING BOTTLES. No. 606,005.Patented June 21, 18,98.

(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 2 W. M. FOWLER. MACHINE FOR FILLING ANDGORKING BOTTLES. No. 606,005 Patented June 21, 1898.

. [mom/Z27" (No Model.) 6 sheets-sma l.

W. M. FOWLER.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND GORKING BOTTLES.

No. 606,005. Patented June 21,1098.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5. W. M. FOWLER. MACHINE FOR FILLING ANDGORKING BOTTLES.

No. 606,005. Patented June 21,1898.

man e Z (No Model) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

W. M. FOWLER.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND GORKING' BOTTLES.

No. 606,005. Patented June 21,- a

sat-TBS \VILLIAM MILES FOWVLER, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND .CORKING BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,005; dated June 21,1898.

Application filed September 3, 1896. Serial No. 604,712. (No model-) Toall whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MILES Fow- LER, of Stamford, in the countyof Fairfield and State of Connecticut,.have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machines for Filling and Corking'Bottles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for filling andcorking bottles in which the contents of the bottle are prevented fromaccess to the air intermediate of the filling and corkin g operationsand in which provision is made for fastening the cork in its position inthe neck of the bottle as one step of the operation of filling andcor-king.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the machine in sideelevation. Fig. 2 represents the machine in front elevation. Fig. 3represents a vertical section taken from front to rear in'the plane ofline 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing, partly in frontelevation and partlyin section, several of the filling and corking tubesand the parts in proximity thereto. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view indetail of several of the series of turn-tables or disksfor transferringthe corkfasteners from the supply-reservoir to the corking-tubes. Fig. 6is a sectional view in detail, showing the position of the parts inproximity to the mouth of the bottle at the first step of the operation.Fig.7 is a top plan view of the same, the operating-lever and itsconnecting-link being omitted. Fig. 8 is a sectional view in detail,taken from the reverse side from that in which Fi 6 is taken and showingthe position which the parts assume when the cork is compressed and thefiller in position tofill. Figs. 9 and 10 represent two positions of theturn-table in the positions which they assume in transferring a fastenerinto alinement with the corkingtube. Fig. 11 represents the position ofthe parts when the 'cork'is driven into the capplate ready for insertioninto the bottle. Figs. 12, 13, and let represent different stages in theoperation of inserting the cork and fastener; and Fig. 15 isan enlargedview in detail, showing the position of the cork fastener and plunger atthe moment of expanding the fastener.

- The machine comprises means for raising a bank of bottles intoair-tight contact with a series of corresponding seats; means forcompressing the corks which are to be inserted into the mouths of thebottles and at the same time moving the fillers into alinement with thebottles; means for transferring fasteners from their reservoirs to thecorking-plnngers above the corks which are to be inserted into thebottles and for causing the corking-plungers to pick up the saidfasteners; means for into sockets in the base-plate ready for insertionthrough the sealing-plate into the mouths of the bottles; means forinserting the fillers into the bottles, opening the valves, and forcingthe liquid into the bottles to fill them; means for closing the valves,removing the fillers from the bottles, and shiftin g the corks in thecap-plate into alinennent with the bottles; means for forcing andfastening the corks in the mouths of the bottles, andmeans for loweringthe bottles from their sealing-plate, feeding them to the rear, andbringing a new bank of bottles into position to be lifted toward theirsealing-plate, the above brief summary of the several parts of themachine being recited in the orderin which the several steps ofoperation occur and which order will be, for the sake of clearness,observed as far as is practicable in hereinafter explaining moreparticularly the structure of the several parts. v

The main frame of the machine consists of a pair of side frames AA, madeas light as is consistent with the necessary strength and connected atthe top of the base portion by a table or head-plate A? and intermediateof the table or head-plate and the foot by girders a. a. The girders a aare connected at their middle portions by a tie beam a The side frames AA extend upwardly from the table or head-plate, forming pedestals A Afor the reception of the standards A A for supporting the fillers andtheir supply-reservoir, the corking mechanism, and the parts whichimmediately cooperate therewith.

A reservoir B (see Fig. 3)- is located transversely of the machine justbelow the table or head-plate A and has comm unicating with its upperside a series ofplungers b, one for each of a bank of bottles which maybe presented above them. The reservoir B is made liquid-tight, and theliquid therein is dis= forcing the corks with the fasteners thereon 4placed to force the plungers b upwardly by means of a piston b, whichworks in a cylinder Z1 in communication with the reservoir 13 and whichis forced into the cylinder by means of a lever-arm connected with thepiston bya rod b. The lever-arm b is f ulcrnmed at b and operated by alever B, connected to rock therewith and within convenient reach of theoperator at the front of the machine.

The bottles 0 are conveyed in banks of six, more or lessin the presentinstance in banks of six-to positions over the plungers b by means of anendless belt or chain c, which is driven step by step by the action of aspringactuated pawl 0, carried by a swinging arm 0 mounted concentricwith a sprocket-wheel C, on which the endless chain or belt is mounted,the said pawl being adapted to engage the teeth on a ratchet-wheel 0mounted to rotate with the sprocket-wheel. The arm a is swung intoposition to carry the pawl 0 into engagement with an advance toothsimultaneously with the operation of the piston b to lift the plungersI).

with a lever-arm Z), fixed to rock with the lever-arm b and set in thepresent instance at an angle thereto.

The bottles are conveniently set in a box C having subdivisions c forholding the bottles in position and having its bottom provided withopenings beneath the bottoms of the bottles to permit the plungers Z) topass up through to lift the bottles.

At the top of the pedestals A A there is fixed what I am pleased to terma sealingplate D, provided on its under side with cushioned pockets (1for the reception of the nozzles of the bottles at points oppositeopenings (1 through the sealing-plate.

The position of the parts at the end. of the step which brings thebottles up into contact with the sealing-plate and the feed-pawl intoposition to feed is shown in Fig. 3, so far as the bottle lifting andfeeding mechanism is concerned, and in the detail drawing, Fig. (3, sofar as the parts above the sealing-plate and in immediate proximitythereto are con:

cerned.

The next step includes compressing the corks which are to be insertedinto the mouths ofthe bottles after they are filled and si1nultaneouslytherewith swinging the fillers into alinement with the bottles. Themechanism for accomplishing these results is constructed and arranged asfollows:

The supportingstandards A A hereinabove referred to, are fixed to movebodily forward and backward a limited distance, together with abase-plate D, which rests liquid-tight on the top of the sealing-plate Dand is guided in its forward-and-backward movement by means ofscrew-studs (2 which pass through slotted guides (Z extending rearwardlyfrom the base-plate D into the sealing-plate D. (See Fig. 7.) Thehase-plate D is provided with a series of sockets d" for This is accom--plished by connecting the arm 0 by a rod 0 the reception of thecompressed corks, said sockets d terminating at their upper ends in abroader chambered portion (Z for the reception of the uncompressed corkfrom the cork-supply device E, supported in fixed position from thesealing-plate D by bracketarms 6. The base-plate D also is provided witha series of sockets (1, through which the fillers f, which depend fromthe supply-reservoir I pass in entering the mouths of the bottles. Inthe present instance the fillers themselves are held in position inalinement with the sockets d by tubular guides (2 screwed into the topsof the walls of the sockets. (See Fig. 6.) A series of cork-drivingplungers, each comprising a central driving-rod g, fixed to a cross-headG, mounted in vertically-reciprocating adjustment in the standards A A,and a sleeve 9, surrounding the lower portions of the d riving-rods gand attached thereto with a limited vertical movement-4n the presentinstance by means of studs 9 extending from the drivingrod 9 throughelongated slots g in the sleeve-are arranged to pass downwardly throughthe sockets d" to force the cork and the fastener on the cork into themouth of the bottle when the latter has been filled. The particularmeans for operating the plungers for driving the cork will behereinafter described.

The forwardly and backwardly reciprocating base-plate, with the fillersand plungers fixed to move therewith, is operated to bring either thecork-receiving sockets cl or the filler-receiving sockets cl inalinement with the mouth of the bottle at pleasn re by means of ahand-lever H, fulcrumed at h at points preferably equidistant from theopposite ends of the sealing-plate D, as shown in Fig. 2, a connectionintermediate of its handle and its fulcrum with the sliding base plate Dby means of alink h;

When the parts are in the position shown in detailin Fig. 6, a cork 6has been fed from the cork-reservoir E down into the enlarged chamber (1at the top of the socket d", the front wall of said ehamber(denoted by 6bein g fixed relative to the movement of the sliding base-plate D, sothat when the lever H is depressed to draw the sliding plate D over intothe position shown in Figs. 8 and 11 to l bring the fillers f and thesockets d for receiving them into alinement with the mouth of the bottlethe rear wall of the chamber (1 will have engaged the cork e and pressedit between it and the stationary front wall 6 into a compasssufliciently restricted to enable it to be inserted in the socket dready for insertion into the mouth of the bottle. This completes thesecond step in the operation viz., simultaneously compressing the corksand moving the fillers into alinement with the bottles.

The third step consists in transferring the fasteners from theirreservoirs to positions heneath the ends of the corking-plungers abovethe corks which are to be inserted into the bottles and causing thesleeves of said corking-plungers to pick up the said fasteners. Themechanism for accomplishing this step is constructed and arranged asfollows:

A series of tubular reservoirs I, one for each filler, are supported atthe side of the corkreservoirs E by the same supports 6 which supportthe cork-reservoirs, and the fasteners 1', each consisting of a U-shapedbody with outwardly-turned projections at the ends of their branches,are supplied to the reservoirs I in vertical series, as shown in Fig.4:. At the bottom of each reservoir I there are springjaws 2" i whichwhen spread apart permit the lowermost of the fasteners 2' to be removedfrom the bottom of the reservoir I, while by the closing of the jawsafter the lowermost fastener has been removed the remaining fastenerswill be held against escape.

Intermediate of the lower ends of the cork and fastener reservoirs andthe top of the movable base-plate D there are mounted a series of turn-tables K, one for each reservoir. These turntables K have their axes ofrotation in vertical alinement with the axes of the cork-reservoirs andare each provided with a pocket 7t for the reception of one of thefasteners and an opening 7t for permitting the cork-driving plunger topass down through into the socket in the reciprocating plate D to drivethe cork. Each of these turn -tables K is further provided with a curvedwedge-shaped tongue 70 (see Figs. 4,

9, and 10,) rising a short distance above its surface, which as theturn-table is rotated to carry a fastener t, which has been receivedfrom the reservoir I, in the pocket 7t around into position over the topof the compressed cork, as represented in Fig. 8, gradually separatesthe springjaws i 2' and permits the next following fastener 2' to dropand rest on the smooth upper surface of the tongue 75, as shown in Fig.4. As the turn-table K is returned from the position shown in Fig. 10back to the position shown in Fig. 9 the fastener so resting upon theupper surface of the tongue R will drop into 'the pocket and be ready tobe carried by the turntable from the position shown in Fig. 9 to thatshown in Fig. 10 at the next operation of the turn-table.

The fastener, which has been carried by the turn-table into the positionshown in Fig. 10 in alinement with the compressed cork, is picked up bythe cork-drivin g plunger before the turn-table K is returned to itsnormal position in the following manner: The corkdriving plungers, ashereinbefore stated, have their central driving-rods fixed to acrosshead G. The cross-head G is connected at its opposite ends by rods9 with a foot-treadle g fulcrumed to the supporting-frame at 9Intermediate of the cross-head G, to which the central driving-rods g ofthe plungers are fixed, and the upper ends of the sleeves g, mounted onthe lower portions of the drivingrods g, there is a laterally-movableplate G, (see Fig. 4,) provided with laterally-elon gated slots 9through which the driving-rods 9 pass. Theplate G is normally heldshifted laterally, as shown in Fig. 4, in position to form an abutmentfor the upper ends of the sleeves g and cause them to move together withthe driving-rods As the crosshead Gdescends, carrying with it theintermediate plateG, a beveled bearing g at one end of the plate permitsthe plate to slide laterally a suflicient distance to bring the slot gin the plate G in alinementwith the top of the sleeve g,therebypermitting the latter to slide upwardly on the rod 9 as the rods g, withtheir cross-head G, complete their downward stroke. The plate G isforced laterally by a spring 9 set at the opposite end of the plate fromthe beveled bearing g (see Fig. 4,) the action of said spring in slidingthe plate G laterally being permitted by momentarily releasing thepressure from the foot-treadle g after the fasteners and corks have beendriven into the bottle to the point where it is desired to expand thefasteners to cause their edges to catch in grooves or sockets on theinterior surface of the mouths of the bottles. movement of thecork-driving plungers required to take up the fasteners which have beencarried into the position shown in Fig. 10 is, however, only slight, andto accomplish this the plate G is not carried downwardly,

far enough to be shifted endwise, so that the rod g and its sleeve g,work as one fixed piece. The sleeve 9 projects sufficiently far belowthe end of the driving-rod g to permit a fastener i to seat in the lowerend of the sleeve Without obstruction from the lower end of the rod g,and the fastener is picked up from the turn-table K by simply pressingthev plungers downwardly onto the fasteners, crowding the U-shapedportions of the fasteners into the interiors of the lower ends of thesleeves g, where-they are retained by their frictional contact with thesaid sleeves. The foot is then raised from the treadle g and theplungers, with the fasteners in their lower ends, are lifted from theturn-tables by the action of the retracting-springs 9 This having beenaccomplished the turn-tables K, connected to move in unison by theconnectingbar k are returned to their normal positions (shown in Fig. 9)by means of the operatinghandle k located within easy reach of theoperator, and the third step in the operation is completed.

The next step consists in forcing the compressed corks, with thefasteners thereon, into sockets in the base-plate ready for insertionthrough the sealing-plate into the mouths of the bottles. This isaccomplished as follows: \Vhen the turn-tables Kare returned to theirnormal positions after carrying the fasteners to points beneath thecorking-plungers, the openings 7a in said tables are brought intoalinement with the sockets (Z5 d in the base; plate D. l The cork atthismoment rests in a compressed state in the socket (Z and the fasteneris held in the lower end of the sleeve The downward.

g of the corking-plunger. In the position shown in Fig. 8 the treadle g,which was before operated to cause the corking-plunger to take up thefastener, is again depressed, causing the corking-plunger,with thefastener therein,to pass downwardly through the opening in theturn-table into engagement with thettop of the compressed cork, and thelatter, together with the fastener, is forced downwardly into the socket01' into the position shown in Fig. 11, the lower end of the corkresting upon the upper face of the sealing-plate D. While the corks withthe fasteners thereon are held in this position, the filling operationtakes place as follows: The filling-reservoir F, with thefillersfdepending therefrom, is lowered, causing the fillers f to passdownwardly through the sockets (Z and through the opening cl in thesealing-plate into the mouths of the bottles, as shown in Fig. 8, untilthe valve-operating rod f, extending downwardly through thefilling-tubes f, engages the abutments of the bottles and lifts thevalves f from their seatsin the fillingreservoir F to permit liquid toflow from the reservoir into the bottles. This downward movement'of thefilling-reservoir, with the fillers carried thereby, is effected bymeans of an operating-lever L, pivoted'to the support ing-frame at Z andprovided with laterallyextending arms Z, the free ends of which areconnected with the opposite ends of the reservoir F by rods Z The mannerof connecting the rods Z with the reservoir consists in providing asocket-piece Z (see Fig. 4,) connected at one side with the end of thereservoir, in the present instance by means of a screw Z, the saidsocket-piece Z having a bar of sufficient size to permit ascrew-threaded portion Z of the connecting-rod Z to slide through it, anadj ust-ing-nut Z serving as a bearing for the socket-piece Z at thebottom and a spring Z (see Figs. 1 and 2) being inserted between the topof the socket-piece and a second adjusting-nut Z screwed on the rod ZThis arrangement gives the fillers a yielding bearing when in theirlowermost position, the tension being varied at pleasure by means of theadjusting-nuts on the connecting-rods. The opcrating-lever L, during itsmovement from the position shown in Fig. 1 to its position shown in Fig.3 with the arms Z swung into position to lower the fillers into thebottles,

performs, in addition to the lowering of the fillers and the opening ofthe valves for filling the bottles, the-function of pumping the liquidfrom the cask into the bottle. The cask is represented in the presentinstance by M, and has a pipe on, which may be a flexible hose-pipeleading from a stop-cock m in the end of the cask to a pump N, fromwhich a delivery-pipe n connects with a hose n, leading up to thereservoir F. An outlet-passage 0 (see Fig. 6) leads from the socket clin the base-plate to a hose 0, connected with the top of the cask M by acock 0. The lower end of the operating-lever L is provided with a hookZ, which, after the lever L has moved a portion of its stroke sufficientto lower the fillers into the bottles and open the valves f engages thepiston-rod n of the pump N and operates the piston in the direction tolift the liquid into the reservoir F. The particular form of connectionbetween the end of the lever L and the piston-rod is such that thereturn movement of the lever will force the piston -rod n downwardlyduring the first part of the movement of the lever L, and as the leverLis further swung the latter will be automatically released from thepistonrod. This is accomplished in the following manner: To the upperend of the piston-rod a there is attached a loop a sufficient to receivewithin it the hook end of the operatinglever L, the latter being of suchdepth relatively to the loop 01. that it will bear upon the lower end ofthe loop 17. during the first part of the return movement of the lever,and when the piston-rod n has been forced downwardly the curved path ofthe hook end of the lever L will cause it to disengage the lower end ofthe loop 71 bottles through the fillers such foam and gases as may beformed, together with the escaping air from within the bottle, passupwardly through the mouth of the bottle around outside of thefilling-tube f and through the opening in the sealing-plate into thesocket (Z in the base-plate, from which it escapes through the passage 0and hose 0 back into the cask M to replace the liquid which has beendrawn from the cask and to keep a pressure upon the liquid in the caskconstant. The bottles having been filled and the fillers having beenwithdrawn by the return movement of the operating-lever L, thebase-plate D, together with the parts supported thereon, are shiftedrearwardly by throwing the operating-lever H up into the position shownin Fig. 6 to bring the cork-containing socket d into alinement with themouth of the bottle.

This movement having taken place, the treadle g is further depressed todrive the cork and cork-fastener thereon from within the socket (Z downinto the mouth of the bottle fromthe position shown in Fig. 12 into theposition shown in Fig. 14. After reaching the position shown in Fig. 14.the pressure upon the treadle g is momentarily released, permitting theplate G to shift so as to relieve the sleeves of the corking-plungersand permit them to slide upwardly through the openings in the plate G.The treadle g is then depressed, again bringing the central rod 9 of theeorking-plunger into contact with the top of the fasteners, as shown inFigs. 5 and 13, thereby forcing the crown of the U -shaped portion ofthe fastener downwardly onto the cork and spreading the edges of thefastener outwardly into the grooves 13 in the mouths of the bottles 0,as clearly shown in said Figs. 5 and 13. This completes the operation ofcorking and fastening the cork, and the treadle is permitted to liftunder the ten- As the liquid enters the.

\ c,through the spring-actuated pawl c,ratchetsion of itsactuating-spring g lifting the corking-plunger above the base-plate D.As the corking-plungers lift, the bevel-bearing g forces the plate Glaterally into position to lock the sleeves g ready for the nextoperation. The series of corked bottles is then lowered by the rearwardmovement of the hand-lever B, whichwithdraws the several pistons Z),permitting the bottle-sustaining plungers b to drop. The same rearwardthrow of the lever B, after lowering the bank of bottles, operates theendless belt or chain wheel 0 spring-arm c and the sprocketwheel 0, tocarry the bank of corked bottles rearwardly from beneath thesealing-plate and at the same time present a succeeding bank of bottlesin position beneath the sealing-plate and free the lifting-plungers 1)ready for a repetition of the operation of filling, corking, andfastening, as hereinabove described.

By the above-described mechanism the liquid may be transferred from thecask or other reservoir to the bottles, and the froth and gas, togetherwith the air in the bottles, may be transferred from the bottles to thecask or reservoir without permitting the liquid to come in contact withoutside air, the filling, corking, and fastening of the corks beingaccomplished without rehandling the bottles.

By applying pressure to the infiowing column of liquid foam may beexpelled from the bottle until it is completely filled with the liquid,the displacement which the filler makes within the bottle beingsufficient to lower the liquid therein to receive the cork when thefiller is withdrawn.

It is obvious that the machine may be utilized without the pump, wherethe liquid in the reservoir or cask is under sufficient head or pressureto cause it to enter the bottles, and that the return-escape for froth,air, and gas may be led into the open air or to any other receptacleinstead of the reservoir or cask from which the liquid is being drawnoff for any purpose it is found expedient.

The apparatus is not limited in its use to a single kind of liquid, butmay be used for bottling any liquids Whether under head of pressure ornotsuch, for example, as thecarbonated mineral waters, the variousbeverages commonly known as soft drinks, the various wines and liquors,beer, and ale.

WVhat I claim is 1. The combination with means for feeding banks ofbottles step by step into position to be filled, of a filling mechanism,a corking mechanism and a cork-fastening mechanism and means forbringing the said filling, corking and cork-fastening mechanisms intoand out of alinement with the bank of bottles while held in position,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the bottle-filling mechanism and a corkingmechanism arranged to cooperate with the filling mechanism, of areservoir for cork-fasteners and means for conveying the fasteners fromtheir reservoir into position to be operated upon by the corkingmechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with means for feeding bottles step by step intoposition to be filled and a sealing-plate for receiving the mouths ofthe bottles, of plungers for forcing the bottles toward the sealingplate, a hydraulic press for operating the plungers and means forfilling and corking the bottles while held in contact with thesealing-plate, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the corking-plunger and means for operating it,of a reservoir for cork-fasteners and a turn-table mounted in positionto convey the fasteners successively from the fastener-reservoir to aposition beneath the plunger, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the filling-reservoir mounted to reciprocate,the fillers connected therewith and means for holding the bottles inposition to be filled, of a supplyreservoir, a connection between thesupplyreservoir and filling-reservoir, a pump'interposed in saidconnection and an operatinglever common to said pump and to thereciprocating filling-reservoir, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination with a corking-plunger comprising a centraldriving-rod and a sleeve loosely surrounding said rod, of means forreciprocating the plunger and means for automatically locking the sleeveto the plunger throughout a portion of its movement and v leaving itfree to slide on the plunger throughout a-portion of its movement,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the filling mechanism and the supply-reservoir,of means for forcing the liquid to the filler comprising a cylinder, a.reciprocating piston within the cylinder and an operating-lever arrangedto engage the piston duringa portion of its stroke only in each of twoopposite directions, substantially as set forth.-

WILLIAM MILES FOVLER.

